You don't have to toss chewing gum out on your floor for it to get there. Wads of old gum can get stuck on your shoes outside and be carried into your home and left on your wood floor. So what do you do then? Removing it sounds like a daunting task; however, it isn't as bad as you may think. Here are a few steps that can help you to get up gum with ease.

Step 1 - Scrape Off Excess Gum

The first thing that you want to do is use the butter knife or a scraper to get any of the excess gum off of the wood. Be careful not to scratch the wood floors while using these tools. Many professionals will use a blade to remove the gum off of wooden floors; however, unless you feel comfortable doing this you will want to stick with a butter knife or scraper. It may take longer but you will lower your risk of harming the floor.

Step 2 - Ice the Gum

Take an ice pack or a plastic baggie full of ice cubes and place it on top of the gum spot. You may also want to place a cloth or a paper towel between the baggie and the gum in case it leaks. Leave the ice on it on for about 10 minutes. This will help to harden the gum, allowing it to be scraped away much more easily.

Once the gum has hardened, try to ease the butter knife or the scraper underneath one edge. Then, you can just use either your fingers or the knife to peel it back. It should come off easily. If not, reapply the ice for 10 more minutes, and then try to peel off the next section.

Step 3 - Clean the Area

Now that you have removed the patch of gum, you will want to clean off any residue that it left. Use a wood cleaner to spray the area and allow it to soak for a few minutes. Then, use a clean rag to wipe it down.

Step 4 - Fix Any Scratches

You may accidentally nick the wood floor during this process, in which case it will need to be fixed. If this happened to you, don't worry; getting it looking good as new is quick and easy.

First, use a wood filler to fill in any holes or gouges. Don't worry about any smaller scratches, as these can be fixed without it. Let the filler dry if needed, and then sand down the area so that the scratches or edges have disappeared and the surface is smooth and even. You can often do this with your hand and a piece of sand paper, but you can also use a sander if you prefer. Finally, wipe down the area and allow it to dry so that you can stain. You will want to make sure that you paint the stain on with a brush and that it matches the surrounding color.

With that, your gum problem, and any damage resulting from getting rid of it, should be taken care of.